…As Ogbeh says Nigeria requires new satellite to combat insecurity

By Emmanuel Elebeke – Abuja

We are developing blueprints and building infrastructures to expose the country to the business world.
The Minister disclosed this while speaking at the Stakeholders Breakfast Meeting organised by the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NigComSat) in Abuja.

The Minister speaking through his Special Adviser on Communications and Media, Osibo Imohoitsike, said the focus of the Ministry is around blueprints and infrastructures to open Nigeria for business.

“As we all probably have seen very clearly, our focus is around blueprints and has five pillars, we talk about knowledge, policy, infrastructure, innovation, entrepreneurship and training.

“It’s great that we keep talking about open for business, this is a great thing and this President is pro-business and every opportunity that we get to ensure that we do business; push and go”.

In his presentation, the guest speaker, and former minister of Agriculture, Dr Audu Ogbeh, said Nigeria needs a new satellite to fight insecurity.

Given the current security challenges in the country, he said Nigeria would need a new communication satellite to tackle activities that could further undermine the nation’s peace and security.
Ogbeh said Nigeria’s future would be at risk if the country by its land mass and population failed to have military/security satellites capable of monitoring strange activities within the country and at the borders to ensure the safety and security of the country.

Earlier in her remarks, the Managing Director of NigComSatt Mrs. Nkechi Jane Egerton-Idehen said, “In the past few years there has been an increase in the number of EdTech startups, building technology-backed learning solutions in Nigeria.

“The learning solutions would provide schools with a bundled solution to affordable, reliable Internet connectivity and leveraging EdTech resources and interventions designed in alignment with the Nigerian curriculum.”

According to her, the project was targeted at bridging the digital divide and empowering schools to use EdTech to improve learning outcomes.

“While schools and governments are making efforts to advance the integration of technology into education by furnishing some ICT laboratories with computers, a second-class problem prevents the use of most of these devices in schools.

“Among other challenges, the lack of access to affordable internet connectivity has proven to be a major hindrance to the effective use of technology for teaching and learning.

“Many laboratories are under lock and key and some others are used for basic computer literacy rather than exploring other learning opportunities,” she said.

According to her every Nigerian child irrespective of their background, deserves an opportunity to learn and thrive in the 21st century.

“In partnership with the private sector, Queue Edge, we are unveiling an EdTech solution targeting primary and secondary schools.

“The goal is to empower students, equip teachers, and provide resources and support to primary and secondary schools, ” Egerton-Idehen said.

She further stated that these resources can benefit schools by increasing engagement and motivation in the classroom and promoting critical thinking and problem-solving.

Egerton-Idehen said the product has three main areas of focus which are numeracy and literacy for Primary Schools digital libraries for Secondary Schools and content Creation for Teachers and Learning Management Systems.

She said it would provide schools with a bundled solution to affordable, reliable Internet connectivity and by leveraging EdTech resources and interventions designed in alignment with the Nigerian curriculum more equitable and effective education can be achieved.

Egerton-Idehen also unveiled ‘a customer experience and support solution for NigComSat clients and potential clients, adding that it consists of an Al-powered chatbot and a call centre solution.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of marketing & Business Development NigComSat said NIGCOMSAT has a new drive with its upgraded broadband and broadcasting capacity platform for Nigerians to utilize.